Study: Online Post-Op Visits As Good As In-Person Visits

They certainly save recovering patients the hassle and travel time of an in-person visit, but are virtual post-op consultations an effective way to follow up? According to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, both doctors and patients agree that they are.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center followed the post-op care of 50 patients who received procedures ranging from laparoscopic cholecystectomies to umbilical hernia repairs. To participate in the study, patients had to have Internet access and the ability to take and upload images of their surgical wounds via a smartphone or digital camera.

All 50 patients followed up with their surgeons both online and in-person after the procedure. An overwhelming 76 percent of patients approved of their experience with the online consultation. Their surgeons agreed that for 68 percent of the patients the virtual visit was effective. 

In addition to proving successful in providing the appropriate level of post-op care, the study found that virtual consultations also save a significant amount of time. Patients spent an average of 15 minutes on their online visit versus 103 minutes for the in-person visit. Their surgeons spent an average of 5 minutes on the virtual consultation versus 10 minutes for the in-person consultation.

To learn more, read the entire article.